The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-01-08


song"
"'Pears like I'm jes' in time TO help eat
the puddin',n SAID voice behind her that
made her start.
80, is it YOU, Mote2" she said, turning a face
ohm over her shoulder kindly but cool. $50
you amt forgot the way to Tharp's after all:
set down You won't git no puddin' though,
if that's what you come fur; this here's old
fashion, homemade corn-bread."
'nTwan't what / come fur, though.
reckon jes' as well up an say it frs as
last come to see eff you'd marry me or
mott
"Td a sight ruther it had ben the puddin'.
what fetched you; hate to see folks asst an,
git denied"
"Here's one a-settin' here" replied Mote.
doggedly, 'what amt got no intention o.
gittin' denied I've ben lovin' you, Sereny.
two years an mo-, an eff you won't Merry
me now you will some day: you can't bender
me from waitin'"
81 don't low to bender you from nothin',"
cried the girl Indignantly, 'only jes' settin'
roun' my kitchen on any sech business as
that. l amt keen to marry, and l don't
want to hear no mo-" She pushed the
bread-pan into the oven and shut the door
upon it with slam; her cheeks burned
with the fire of Indignation in her heart.
Ever since the night of the party the edge
of her pain had been wearing away, and now
Notes words made it keener than at first;
in them she read nothing but pity for her
unrequited love. Mote seemed to have some
dim consciousness of this.
SIS it OWN to me keepin' company with
school-mistis?" he asked presently, in
more subdued tone. "Sereny, l pom you
my word, amt seen her sence that nigl-s
at Rickettses, an that's two months an up
erds; ! did sorter think ] thought right
smart o. her onct, but it didn't take long to
find out how was a-foolin' myself an l
says to myself Mote, you could not love
nobody but Seney Tharp Of you was to try
till Judgment dey,' an | tried to screw my
self up to come an see you; and then I'd git
to thinkin' bout you bein 50 awful on
friendly at Rickettses, an | says to myself
'twon' be no use; but it seemed so sorter
lonesome an all 'roun home with jes' me
and pap at couldn' stan it no longer, so l
come to try my luck anyways"
Sereny face softened. "I'm sorry, Mote"
she said in a far gentler tone, 'but L ben
studyin' considerable bout one thing an
other, an b'lieve I'd ruther die a ole
maid"
He gazed at her a moment in a stupe-
faction of incredulity. "Now know you're
talkin' to hear yourself. You bein' a ole
maid OF all the onery, sggravatin' critters
goin' 'roun' mummerin' to theyselves, an
suspicionin' folks what they amt got no
business meddlin' with; faint b<in' no ole
maid you're studyin' bout You're a-lovin'
one o. them no-count fellows what's over
lastin'ly hangin roun' here same as they
ain got no hams to work with"
at air aggravatin' to have folks scttin'
ROM and KNOWN the tobacco's fairly
spilin' itself waitin' for somebody to strip
it," said Sereny, in a tone of gentle candor.
Notes face grew dark with anger. Chats
so, Sereny. low l will go ten to that to-
bacco; the ole barns tollible rickety, but
proper behavin' folks dom get no belittlin'
in it noways. ROM this here farm man.
ners seems to be gone on a broad" He
strobe from the room and left the girl
aghast at her own rudeness and it's effects.
She had exaggerated the pride and GOODNESS
that she really felt, in order to conceal her
strong temptation to yield and confess her
love. Her determination not to marry him
had been serious; she would never forgive
him to that extent, but to carry her resist
ance to the point of inhospitality, thereby
self the offender, was a thing she had not
dreamed Of until it was done.
1t was Saturday, and Abe Barnes had
seized the opportunity to finish his tobacco
stripping, having summoned his entire fam
lily, inclusive Of the baby, to the barn, where
he had assigned a portion of the work, care
fully selected with reference to his or her
years and ability, to each of the nine, eXclu-
sive of the baby. This period of quietness,
the longest she had known during her five
months residence in the Barnes household,
Miss Hildreth would have found exceedingly
grateful had not her mind been 80 full of
one subject that external surroundings al
most failed to affect her. Tho end of the
term was at hand, and the time fixed for her
marriage but few weeks distant; yet to-
day she had for her own affairs scarcely a
thought Opposite her by the freside, his
head on his crossed arms that rested on the
table, sat a man whose attitude and half
2verted face were one expression of dull
misery. 1t was Mote, proud, upright, happy
Mote who in all his life before had never
felt one pang of Shame, yet sat there now
under the shadow of a deep disgrace. Elk
pressiSns of coincidence, or any show Of
sympathy from the curious and officiOusly
kind friends who surrounded him, he had
rejected with a cold and bitter humility
that awed them instantly. Yet the teacher,
in wise womanly fashion, had made him
feel how deeply she sympathized with him.
and 50 had drawn him out to speak without
that pathetic mingling Of defiance and self
contempt.
"Ef pap could died." he said in an I'M
certain voice that startled himself, ''ef the
Lord 'ud let him die fore he done Thin
and me-" He stopped abruptly and drew
his hand across his eyes.
1t seemed indeed to the teacher that if
Ezekiel Barnes could have died before his
first great temptation, it would have been a
blessed thing, for Mote at least. For fifty
years he had been model for his neighbors
and pride unto himself. His sins had been
those uf omission, and his confidence in his
own infallibility absolute. Yet his integrity
had been founded not on religion or even
philosophical principles, but solely on pride
of family responsibility and a sense of per-
sonal importance, and its first severe shock
was fatal. His fall had been, not by de-
gress, but sudden and complete He had
specialized in tobacco and lost. There re-
manned nothing but to sell the home.
stead and stand before the world, in his
advancing years, o failure; for to him the
measure of prosperity was the measure of
merit. One Of his neighbors dying, had left
his property to his wife in care of Ezekiel